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EU-AU Workshop on Social protection

- in the informal economy

Nairobi 10-11 March 2011

Hjördis Ogendo/Tamás Várnai

European Commission DG

EuropeAid

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Social protection in EU development cooperation and in

EU-AU relations

Hjördis Ogendo/Tamás Várnai

European Commission DG

EuropeAid

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1. EU Political Context

2. Social protection from an EC perspective

3. EC support to social protection

4. EU- Africa Strategy

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EU political context

o European Consensus for Development (2005)

o Communication and Council Conclusions on ‘Promoting Decent Work for all (2006)

o Staff working paper on “Promoting Employment through EU Development Cooperation” (2007) and Council conclusions including on social protection

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2009 Communication on Supporting developing countries

in coping with the crisis

EU committed to support developing countries in their efforts in setting up or strengthening social protection systems and programm

2009 and 2010 Ad hoc Vulnerable Flex mechanism / safeguard social spending

2010 Communication 12 point EU Action plan in support of the MDG

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EU initiatives

– European Report on Development 2010 focuses on poverty, inequality, social protection in (primarily) sub-Saharan Africa

– EC Reference Document on Social Transfers in the fight against hunger

Social protection is a social ….

Promote social cohesion and stability – redistribution system as reducing inequalities

Endorse a human rights approach

”

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chock absorber of crisis;

reduces poverty and supports pro-poor economic growth (impact on human development, access to education and health etc) “social protection as a productive factor”

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and an economic necessity

Challenges for social protection

Raise awareness/evidence on the positive impacts of social protection;

Affordability – how to find fiscal space for social protection/home-grown, long term financially sustainably;

How to extend social protection for people in the informal economy/rural areas

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EC support to social protection

• EC is present in all regions – levels and means of cooperation / a demand driven and differentiated approach

• Latin America: 40% of cooperation to social sector/social protection

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EC support to social protection

Asia: • increasingly political dialogue but

important bilateral cooperation support to social protection reforms

• Sector budget support to Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan.

• Afghanistan, China,

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EC support to social protection in Africa (country programmes)

• Ethiopia: Productive Safety Net Programme (WB Trust Fund)

• Rwanda: comprehensive social protection programme through sector budget support

• Lesotho, Zimbabwe: support to OVC (cash transfers)

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EU-Africa cooperation on social protection

Joint Africa-EU Strategy - 8 partnerships

1. Peace & Security2. Democratic Governance & Human Rights3. Regional Economic Integration, Trade &

Infrastructure4. MDGs5. Climate Change & Environment6. Energy7. Migration, Mobility & Employment8. Science, Information Society & Space

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Partnership on Migration, Mobility and Employment

12 initiatives• 5 migration • 3 employment related • 1 social protection initiative

(part of decent work initiative) • 3 higher education / student

mobility initiatives

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EU-AU cooperation on social protection

6. Decent work initiative –

AUC and EC will launch a project on extending SP in the informal economy

Supporting AU programme on upgrading the informal economy and the Productiviy Agenda for Africa

7.

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EU-AU cooperation on social protection

7. Labour market governance and capacity building

Strengthening institutional capacity of labour market institutions in Africa

Target public employment services and labour adminstrations

,

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EU-AU cooperation on social protection

8. Regional ans sub-regional fora on employment, labour, social protection and labour migration

Support harmonisation processes of labour market and social protection frameworks at regional levels, in cooperation with the RECs

7.

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More information

Social Protection in EU cooperation

http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/what/social-protection/index_en.htm

Joint Africa-EU Strategyhttp://www.africa-eu-partnership.org

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Thank you for your attention